Liquid dispensing apparatus having improved delivery hose retriever means



Aug. 4, 1964 J. A. M DONNELL 3,143,367 LIQUID DISPENSING APPARATUS HAVING IMPROVED DELIVERY HOSE RETRIEVER MEANS Filed June 11, 1962 United States Patent 3,143,367 LIQUID DHSPENSING APPARATUS HAVING [N'- PROVED DELIVERY HOSE RETREEVER MEANS Earnes Alan MacDonnell, Longmeadow, Mass, assignor to Gilbert & Barker Manufacturing Company, West Springfield, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 11, 1962, Ser. No. 291,694 3 Claims. (Cl. 287-92) The present invention relates to improvements in retriever mechanisms for the delivery hoses of liquid dispensing units. More specifically, the invention relates to an improvement in the manner of attaching a cable to the delivery hose where the cable yieldingly pulls the delivery hose into an inverted storage loop, as shown in US. Patent No. 2,639,944.

An object of the invention is to minimize, if not eliminate, the possibility of the delivery hose and/ or the retriever cable, attached thereto, becoming twisted.

Another object of the invention is to minimize, if not eliminate, the possibility of the retriever cable becoming wound around the delivery hose.

These ends are attained by securing a member to the delivery hose, mounting bracket means on said member for rotation about the hose axis and pivotally connecting the retriever cable to the bracket means for movement about an axis transverse to the hose axis.

The above and other related objects and features of the invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description of the disclosure found in the accompanying drawing and the novelty thereof pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a liquid dispensing unit of the type referred to;

FIG. 2 is an end elevation of this dispensing unit;

FIG. 3 is a cross section, on an enlarged scale, of cable attaching means seen in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken on line 1V-1V in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a clamp element employed herein.

The dispensing unit seen in FIGS. 1 and 2 may be of known design, comprising a housing 19 from which a hose 12 extends for the delivery of gasoline or the like. The inner end of the hose 12 is connected to a liquid delivery line Within the housing 16, while a dispensing nozzle 14 is connected to the outer end of the hose. A hanger (hidden by the nozzle) is provided to support the nozzle 14, when no delivery is being made. The hose is, at this time, stored in an inverted loop.

The means for so storing the hose 12 comprise a retriever cable 16 attached to the hose by connecting means 17 and a device 18 for yieldingly retracting the cable 16 within the housing It). The device may take many forms, as for example that shown in the abovenamed patent.

The means for attaching the retriever cable 16 to the hose 12 are shown in detail in FIGS. 3 and 4.

A pair of semi-cylindrical shells 20 embrace the hose 12 and are firmly clamped thereon by a strap type clamp 22. Dowels 21 may be employed to properly align the shells 20, as indicated in FIG. 3. The clamp 22 is separately shown in FIG. 5 and has a hook at one end which engages teeth formed in its opposite end as seen in the drawing. Circumferential ridges 23 are formed on the inner surfaces of the shells 29 to further prevent slippage between the shells and the hose. A cylindrical groove 24 is compositely formed in the shells 20 concentrically of the axis of the hose. A central recess 26 is formed in the recess 24 so that the clamp 22 will be seated elow the level of the groove 24.

A pair of brackets 23 embrace the shells 26, and are journaled in the groove 24. The brackets 28 are aligned by dowels 3i) and held together by bolt 32 and nut 34. The brackets 23 are freely rotatable on the shells 2i) and are spaced apart by a separator 35 to provide clearance for movement of the cable 16 between laterally extending portions 37 of the brackets 28.

A rod or shaft 36 is telescoped over the outer end of the retriever cable 16 and secured thereto by a set screw 38. The cable 16 is telescoped into a diametric hole intermediate the length of shaft 36. The opposite ends of shaft 36 are captured in holes formed in the lateral portions 37 of the brackets 28 to enable the cable 16 to be swung freely relative to these brackets.

With the described arrangement, the end of cable 16 may freely pivot relative to the brackets 28 about an axis normal to that of the hose and the brackets 28 may freely rotate about the hose axis. This arrangament has been found highly effective in keeping the retriever cable 16 from being twisted and possibly wrapping around the hose when the latter is extended for delivery and the cable swivel clamp means 17 is pulled away from the housing.

It will be apparent that when the hose is stored in a loop as in FIG. 2, the act of carrying the nozzle end away from the housing will cause the hose to turn on its axis and twist in the direction of a kinking action. With the arrangement of this invention the end of the cable and the brackets are free to turn. Thus the cable does not twist with the hose and tend to be wrapped around it.

Also, when the hose is returned from an extended delivery position to the storage position, the pin or shaft 36 and bracket members 28 will permit retraction of the cable without an untwisting action to aifect return of the hose to its desired looped storage position.

In using conventional clamps for retriever cables, it has been found that if the cable is actually twisted to the extent that it wraps around an extended hose, the simple act of returning the nozzle to its storage position, at the side of the pump housing as in FIG. 2, frequently does not restore the hose to a properly looped condition as shown. The friction between cable and hose resists unwinding and the net result of all the opposing forces may cause a figure 8 or some other peculiar looped formation. The pivots for the bracket members and the cable end as illustrated in this disclosure, allow extension and return of the hose in the desired manner.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as novel and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A clamp device for supporting a delivery hose of liquid dispensing pump apparatus and connecting said hose to a retractable cable of hose retriever mechanism, said device comprising a collar and clamping means for securely gripping the collar on the hose, a bracket having members with portions encircling said collar and engaged thereby for rotation of the bracket about the collar and the axis of the hose, said members also having outwardly extending portions and means for fastening said members together, said extending portions being supported in spaced relation with the facing inner walls thereof at right angles to the axis of said collar, said inner walls having opposed recesses therein and a rod pivotally mounted at its ends in said recesses, said rod being provided with means for attaching a cable thereto between said inner walls.

2. A clamp device for supporing a delivery hose of liquid dispensing pump apparatus and connecting said hose to a retractable cable of hose retriever mechanism, said device comprising a pair of cylindrically formed shells providing a collar for embracing the hose between inner wall surfaces thereof, the outer walls of the shells having circumferentially directed channeled portions defining a cylindrical groove having a centrally recessed portion, a clamping means in said recessed portion for securely gripping said shells on the hose, a pair of bracket members having portions with cylindrically formed walls rotatably engaged by said cylindrical groove and also having outwardly extending portions with facing inner walls, spacer means between said facing Walls and a fastener securing said members together for rotation as a unit about said collar and the axis of the hose, said inner walls having opposed recesses therein, and a short rod having its ends pivotally received in said recesses, said rod having means for attaching the end of a cable thereto.

3. A clamp device for supporting a delivery hose of liquid dispensing pump apparatus and connecting said hose to a retractable cable of hose retriever mechanism, said device comprising a pair of semi-cylindrical shells forming a collar for snugly embracing the hose between inner wall surfaces thereof, the outer wall surfaces of the shells having circumferentially directed channeled portions defining a cylindrical groove having a centrally reecessed portion, an adjustable strap band clamp in said recessed portion for securely gripping said shells on the hose, a pair of opposed bracket members mounted on said collar having portions with semi-cylindrical walls rotatably engaged by said cylindrical groove and also having outwardly extending portions with facing inner planar walls at right angles to the axis of the collar, a spacer plate separating said facing walls and a fastener bolt passing through said walls and plate securing said members together for rotation as a unit about said collar and the axis of the hose, said extensions being spaced for entry therebetween of a retriever cable, said inner walls having opposed recesses therein and a short rod having its ends pivotally received in said recesses and provided centrally of the rod with means for attaching the end of a cable thereto.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,353,588 Ritz-Weller July 11, 1944 2,742,320 Grise Apr. 17, 1956 3,006,674 Becker Oct. 31, 1961 

1. A CLAMP DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING A DELIVERY HOSE OF LIQUID DISPENSING PUMP APPARATUS AND CONNECTING SAID HOSE TO A RETRACTABLE CABLE OF HOSE RETRIEVER MECHANISM, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING A COLLAR AND CLAMPING MEANS FOR SECURELY GRIPPING THE COLLAR ON THE HOSE, A BRACKET HAVING MEMBERS WITH PORTIONS ENCIRCLING SAID COLLAR AND ENGAGED THEREBY FOR ROTATION OF THE BRACKET ABOUT THE COLLAR AND THE AXIS OF THE HOSE, SAID MEMBERS ALSO HAVING OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PORTIONS AND MEANS FOR FASTENING SAID MEMBERS TOGETHER, SAID EXTENDING PORTIONS BEING SUPPORTED IN SPACED RELATION WITH THE FACING INNER WALLS THEREOF AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF SAID COLLAR, SAID INNER WALLS HAVING OPPOSED RECESSES THEREIN AND A ROD PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT ITS ENDS IN SAID RECESSES, SAID ROD BEING PROVIDED WITH MEANS FOR ATTACHING A CABLE THERETO BETWEEN SAID INNER WALLS. 